Barnes Building, 1890s building in Seattle
The Barnes Building is a clubhouse in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood featuring Victorian design with sturdy brick walls and simple lines throughout. The structure spans multiple floors with offices and meeting spaces characterized by careful brickwork and window placement.
Built in 1890 shortly after Seattle's great fire, the building originally served as the Odd Fellows' Block with offices and meeting rooms. During the early 20th century it functioned as a center for fraternal societies before housing various commercial and cultural tenants.
The building served as a gathering place for fraternal societies and later hosted dance events, reflecting its importance in the community's social life. This pattern of use by different groups shaped how locals viewed it as a space for shared activities.
The building sits on a busy street corner in the Belltown neighborhood and is easily accessible on foot. The facade with its sunlit windows and brick details is clearly visible from the street and easy to observe.
A painted sign on the building's back wall still advertises ballroom dancing, an echo from when such events were regularly held here. This nearly forgotten advertisement tells of past recreational habits and is a detail many visitors overlook.
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